Time to Recognize the True Ally

Rauf Naqishbendi

By Rauf Naqishbendi:

The rise of fanatic Islamist Caliphates has brought a deplorable economic and social epoch to Kurdish history. At the same time, it has heightened the spirit of nationalism, and is issuing an emergency call for unity amongst Kurds. Jihadists from different terrorist affiliations have been ganging up on the Kurds. Although the Kurds are the most effective force fighting to thwart terror advances, the international communities’ assistance toward the Kurds in fighting this incendiary phenomenon has been inadequate and lukewarm by all accounts. The Kurds are struggling to safeguard their land, shield their people, and preserve their way of life in the face of fanatic Muslim Jihadists. Kurdistan is at war; consequently, economic and social hardships of this war will be manifested in the life of the nation for as long as this inauspicious war continues.

The threat of Caliphate thugs has reinvigorated Kurdish nationalism, renewed national pride, and has attracted thousands of young volunteers to eagerly engage in fighting evil forces so that their way of life will be as dictated by the Kurdish culture, rather than by falsified Islamic Sharia. The gallantry of resolved peshmargas and PKK fighters will be echoed in history as to how they selflessly put their lives on the line defending their sacred land and the sanctity of freedom which has been a part of a naturally altruistic, democratic, and tolerant Kurdish culture and society.

Kurdistan of Syria has been devastated, its infrastructure has been ruined, their villages vacated, and their farms abandoned. The great majority of its population has taken refuge in Kurdistan of Iraq and Turkey. They are suffering in Turkey as frigid winter is upon them, and their inhumane treatments by diabolic Turk beasts, as a people and government, is unbearable. The people have been distressed by lack of proper nutrition, healthcare, sanitation, and shelter. These are human faces with human needs; therefore, it is incumbent on the world to offer them their basic needs.

Kurdistan of Iraq is hard pressed due to a massive influx of Arab Sunnis, making Kurdistan a dumping ground for Arab refugees from other parts of Iraq whom they have to provide for due to insufficient international aid. While most of these people are Sunni Arab Muslims, yet the opulent Arab oil-rich countries haven’t extended helping hands to their Arab brethren, and they have shamelessly remained aloof. Arabs have to take lessons from Kurds when comes to compassion and helping the needy.

Kurds don’t have adequate resources to cope with this massive refugee population. It’s time for the international communities to pressure Arab countries and Turkey, who have created ISIS, to remedy their actions and have them compensate the victims of their atrocious crimes against humanities.

The mass influx of refugees to Kurdistan of Iraq is not only a financial and social burden at present, but rather, due to their enormous number relative to the whole Kurdish population, is a major demographic concern, and its adverse future consequences are to be feared.

At present and for a long time to come, the Kurds remain as a nation at war fighting for an apathetic world. The United States has squandered trillions of dollars and thousands of American lives in Iraq and Afghanistan in vain. The maelstrom circumstances ISIS have created, by far its threat and danger transcends the cause for which the US has fought in both countries. Yet, the Obama administration hasn’t been genuine supporter of the Kurds, in particular Syrian Kurds. It has offered the brave PKK air attack support against ISIS’s positions. That is not enough, they need advanced weapons, and there are hundreds of thousands of Syrian Kurds who are in dire need of humanitarian aid. Furthermore, the US has shied away from directly supporting the PKK, fearing the Turks. President Obama must realize that the Kurds need more than his rhetorical nonsense; genuine financial, military, and humanitarian aid must match the White House’s public proclamations.

The current Middle-East situation is the fabrication of United States that for a long time let the Turks and Saudis outline American foreign policy in the region. The Saudis, since the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, have been openly creating fanatic Muslims by sponsoring their madrasas to indoctrinate school children throughout the entire Islam world in promoting their Wahhabi cult. Thus they created Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, while they supported the Taliban, and recently they have been instrumental, along with the Turks, in creating and sponsoring Islamist Caliphate thugs.

The most ominous terror group in the Middle-East is ISIS, which had been initially promoted by the US, and then sponsored by its allies Turkey, the Saudis, and the rest of the oil-rich emirates in the region. The US and the world know that the Islamist state of Turkey is ISIS’s best friend, while the US is fighting the same terror organization. This means that the US and Turkey are on opposite sides of this war, and the Obama administration is well cognizant of this fact, yet publicly calling the Turks an ally in fighting ISIS.

The Obama administration recognizes that the Kurds are the only genuine and serious nation engaged in fighting Caliphate thugs, yet the same Kurds, in particular the PKK, who are admired and have full support not only from Kurdistan of Turkey, but throughout greater Kurdistan, are listed as a terror organization. Now it’s time for the Obama administration to befriend the Kurds and give them the support and respect they deserve for being brave in fighting terrorism and being America’s genuine friend. To this end, the Obama administration should show courage by denouncing the Turks’ repression of the Kurds in Turkey and recognize PKK as a legitimate organization, offering them the military and financial support they deserve.

Rauf Naqishbendi has been a contributing columnist for: Kurdishmedia.com(2003- 2011), www.ikjnews.com,kurdistantribune.com, ekurd.net, and has written Op/Ed pages for the Los Angeles Times.

Books by Naqishbendi:

  1. His memoirs entitled “The Garden Of The Poets”. It reads as a novel depicting his experience and the subsequent 1988 bombing of his hometown, Halabja with chemical and biological weapons by Saddam Hussein. It is the story of his people’s suffering, and a sneak preview of their culture and history.

http://www.publishamerica.net/product41368.html

  1. My Articles: This is a collection of columns published from 2002-2013 through several web media sites. It addresses Kurdish issues, American politics and democracy, humanities, religion, terrorism, and Middle East chaos.

http://www.americastarbooks.net/my-articles_moreinfo.html

Rauf Naqishbendi is a software engineer in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Comments are welcome atrxa12@yahoo.com

 

5 Responses to Time to Recognize the True Ally
  1. KIM
    November 27, 2014 | 17:18

    The Kurdish Spring began long time ago but thanks God it is less peaceful than the Arab Spring. The world sympathizes with Kurds now which is unprecedented in Kurdish history of struggle for democracy, equality and freedom.
    Kurds must also be mindful of US strategic alliances and interests in the region. The process may not be as fast as expected but surely it’s on the move. An independent Kurdish state is on the horizon, as well , the 1st most important priority.

  2. Carl Adrian
    November 27, 2014 | 22:00

    I am very upset about the continuing battles in Iraq, Syria and Afganistan. Obama tried to leave a residual force to help Iraq. Our policy to help the Kurdish people was probably to little and to late. The Jihadists who spread killing and hate wherever they go will surely be defeated. We can lay the blame where ever it suits you. Kurdish people should of had a nation 100 years ago. Now everyone suffers from mistakes with the fall of the Turkish Empire. The U S was determined as a nation to stay out of European wars but we continue to get involved. WW1,WW2, Serbia, Russian Cold War, and on and on. We have millions of refuges from all over the world who come here for a better life, Freedom is so powerful for the human spirit and advancement.
    May God be with you!

  3. Ian Bach
    November 28, 2014 | 07:58

    What we need most is to counter the ISIS propaganda machine. Next money, heavy weapons, anti tank weapons, men, materials, and on and on.
    If Kurdistan can approach Assad/Syrian Gov with a treaty or alliance pact of some kind. BUt first Kurds need a pact with coalition forces, wont be able to get turkey thats for sure so we need to bypass coalition and treaty with the scandinavian countries U.S. France, and even Iraq we need to make deals with everyone who shares are views that cultures should be open and preserve and protect indigenous people and understand that the peshmerga is the best managed military within the indigenous areas affected by ISIS. In western Iraq south of kurdistan those sunni tribe should also join this allince and oust ISIS. contact counter insurgency experts like david kilcullen who was a big part of 2007 surge in Iraq and he knows well that all insurgencies end with political resolutions, treaties and other political means. For now those who are following the issue and want to help. repot very vilonent youtube videos of ISIS glorifying their nonsense. same with people who harassas. We have to fight their online propoganda machince. point out the flaws in their thinking and practices. Show them in their true brutal form. kill the leaders, take prisioner the pawns, sort em out from foriegners those we jail, the locals we try assess and reeducate and keep in jail till we know they are not a threat. the foriegners thats going to be interesting. most the foriegners are ISIS and straped with exposives half the time anyways, or swamron mass and end up dead anyways, or fight till death so kinda moot but the locals we will need forgive and help them find way to live normal and accept others

  4. Ian Bach
    November 28, 2014 | 08:19

    Oh btw I study and follow counterinsurgency.
    I linked your article at my counterinsurgency blog
    http://ianbach2007.blogspot.com/
    back in 2007 i was teaching people who to find and shut down terroist sites during the surge. it was just normal peopple doing extrodinary things no interation with the suspects sites that would get reviewed by internet hosts and in some cases the FBI IC3
    we found 7 fake US military people who were harrassing military familys on yahoo 360 and 1 fake NY city cop had the guys pisture and everything a military suporter she send packages to US military men contacted me she had already know exactly what to do from reading my blog, and they fake NYC cop was found.it maybe only a drop in the bucket but every bit helps. and even ordinary people can help.
    the other way is posting Pro Kurdish information one guy from canada is recruiting ex Canadian military to join him and others in the fight agianst ISIS. The fight for Kobani is a perfect example of bringing people into the fold. Because Kobani had that hill across the boarder where everyone could see what was happening and the press (who are rarely on the right front lines these days) well except when Turkey decides too tear gas us all out of the area.

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